Stormers expected to ‘come hard’ against Sharks in Currie Cup clash

The Sharks XV are expecting a forceful response from Stormers XXIII when the sides meet at Cape Town Stadium on Saturday, 1 August, in the third round of the Currie Cup.

The Stormers XXIII will play in Cape Town for the first time this season after opening the campaign with two away matches. The Sharks XV, meanwhile, will face a third successive fixture on the road, but travel with confidence after winning away against the Pumas in the opening round and producing another encouraging display last week.

The match renews a coastal rivalry that has developed over generations, although neither side can afford to rely on past achievements as they attempt to establish momentum, consistency and success in this year’s competition.

Sharks head coach Mike Vowles has made a number of changes to his squad, with promising young players Luan Giliomee, Liam van Wyk, Rambo Kubheka and Khuthi Rasivhaga included.

The selections are intended to strengthen the Sharks’ long-term talent pathway, give emerging players the chance to test themselves in senior rugby and add fresh energy to a side determined to make a strong challenge in the Currie Cup.

“There have been a couple of changes with the South Africa Under-20 players returning from their successful World Rugby U20 Championship campaign, where they won the title for the second year in a row,” Vowles explained.

“We thought it was important to give them an opportunity as part of the Sharks’ vision of creating a pathway from our youth structures. We also wanted to see where they’re at and how they can perform in a senior competition.

“The other changes are mainly on the bench. We felt we haven’t finished games particularly well, so we wanted to strengthen the final 20 minutes, and we believe the selections we’ve made will help us achieve that.

“So they come into our match-day 23, and it’s really exciting to see what they can do.”

Vowles has also identified the closing stages of matches as an area requiring improvement. The Sharks coach believes the changes to the replacements will help his side maintain its performance level and finish the game more effectively.

The Stormers XXIII will be seeking a response of their own after a heavy 41-3 defeat by the Boland Kavaliers last week. Vowles expects the home side to show greater intensity after that result, particularly with the match being played in front of their own supporters.

“We understand they’re coming off a loss and they’ll be hurting, so we expect them to deliver a big response when they get the opportunity to play at home.

“But we’ve prepared well, and for us it’s about building on the momentum from the previous two games while making sure we finish strongly.”

The Sharks XV’s ability to cope with a third consecutive away fixture will be tested, while the Stormers XXIII will attempt to turn home advantage into a first significant response of the season. With both teams looking to build a platform in the competition, Saturday’s meeting carries importance well beyond the rivalry between the two coastal unions.